156 ORNAMENTAL WATERFOWL. 
and March, live Wigeon may usually be purchased at from 25s. 
to 30s. the couple. 
Male.—Crown of head cream colour ; cheeks, nape, and 
upper neck rich chestnut, speckled with black; back and sides 
grey, finely barred with black; breast pale red, white below ; 
wing-coverts black, edged with white ; shoulder white ; wing-bar 
green, edged with black ; tail and flight feathers dusky-black ; 
bill narrow and lead coloured; eye dark brown; legs and feet 
bluish lead colour. 
Summer plumage—Head and neck yellowish-grey ; back, 
shoulders, and rump dark grey, indistinctly pencilled with 
black ; wing-coverts bluish-grey ; sides and upper breast reddish- 
brown ; under-parts white. 
Female.—Smaller ; head and neck dark brown, with a 
red shade; upper breast reddish-brown, white below; sides 
yellowish-brown ; back greyish-brown; wings and tail dark 
brown ; legs and bill dark grey-blue; eyes brown. 
Young.—In down, upper body brown ; cheeks and throat 
reddish ; no black band across eye. First feathering of young 
males resembles the adult female, but the former may be 
identified by the indication of a green wing-bar. 
Egg.—Creamy-white ; five to ten in number. March— 
April. Incubation, twenty-four to twenty-five days. 
Nest Down.—Dusky-brown ; very similar to that of 
White-eyed Pochard; the tips marked alternately brown and 
white. 
AMERICAN WIGEON. 
(Mareca americana). 
This handsome bird may be viewed as the American type 
of our common Wigeon. It arrives in the United States at 
